Zero-Waste Plant Dyeing: A Feasibility Study on Utilizing Agricultural Waste for Sustainable Textile Production in the Lingnan Region

¹ College of Arts and Media, Guangzhou Vocational and Technical University of Science and Technology, Guangcong 9th Road, Guangzhou, 510550, Guangdong, China
² College of Creative Arts, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, 40450, Selangor, Malaysia

^* Corresponding author: zhangxiaopu@gkd.edu.cn

Abstract

This research delves into the zero-waste plant dyeing concept, emphasizing the utilization of agricultural waste for dyeing materials to curtail expenses and foster a sustainable natural cycle. The study's objective is to innovate product designs using plant dyes and agricultural waste in a zero-waste dyeing framework. The Lingnan region, renowned for its traditional textile dyeing methods, serves as a case study to assess the dyeing method's efficacy through experiments. The agricultural waste materials encompass crop residues, fruit peels, shells, and more, which are used alongside traditional plant dyes for dyeing various textiles. The textiles are then evaluated on color fastness, intensity, and other dyeing attributes. The findings indicate that agricultural waste dyes are not only sufficient but also yield results that are on par with or surpass those of traditional plant dyes. The adoption of zero-waste plant dyeing not only reduces costs but also supports a circular economy through a closed-loop system. The research concludes that zero-waste plant dyeing is viable in the Lingnan area for creating sustainable product designs, minimizing waste, and reducing costs. The dyeing experiment offers significant insights into the efficiency and effectiveness of agricultural waste as dyeing materials, underscoring the sustainability of this approach for textile production.